Letter to the Editor: Deportations
Dear Editor:
Once again, Downey City Councilman Mario Trujillo has shown that he is more interested in social justice causes, left-wing activism and political theater than actually governing and working to improve the lives of the taxpaying citizens of Downey. And he continues to demonstrate that he is on the side of lawbreakers, as opposed to backing our hardworking law enforcement officers and agents.
But this actually comes as no surprise considering Trujillo has a history of being pro-lawbreaker. Most recently, he is helping coordinate legal representation for an individual who was interfering with and obstructing local law enforcement operations, which is a crime!
And now Trujillo’s “mini-me” on the city council, Councilman Horacio Ortiz, has decided to join forces with Trujillo by criticizing law enforcement officers and standing with lawbreakers as well. Ortiz was recently quoted as saying that he “stands with our immigrant community,” which is code for illegal aliens – and that we need to “show the federal government and ICE agents that we don’t want them here.” You cannot be in favor of the enforcement of some laws and be opposed to the enforcement of others and then claim to be in favor of law and order and supportive of law enforcement.
Downey is a good city but there are still several areas that need improvement. Many of the roads throughout the city resemble the streets that I used to patrol when I was deployed to Iraq. Homeless people are still wandering throughout the city and squatting in our public parks and at various vacant buildings and properties. And speaking of vacant buildings, Downey still has many empty storefronts to fill.
The church that I attend is located in Downey’s First District. As a church, we are often having to deal with vagrants who are rummaging through the trash dumpsters, drinking, taking drugs and then leaving behind alcohol containers and drug paraphernalia as well as urinating and defecating in the church’s landscaping. Ortiz represents the First District and Trujillo represents District Five, which is the city “at-large” position. It would be nice if we could get help from the two of them to help resolve these problems.
Much hysteria and false information has been spread ever since federal immigration officers began actually enforcing immigration laws in Downey and throughout Los Angeles County, laws that have not been adhered to in many years. Downey has a population of approximately 114,000 people. Of those 114,000, less than 20 people were arrested by immigration officers. If agents were just “rounding people up” by way of appearance, as has been claimed, then the arrests numbers would be in the thousands. And if you believed the rhetoric of Trujillo and Ortiz, one would believe that half of the city’s residents were apprehended.
The city of Downey does not have the ability or authority to stop federal immigration officers from conducting operations in our city. For Councilmembers Trujillo and Ortiz to suggest otherwise is deceptive, disingenuous and nothing more than political theater.
Instead of needlessly stirring up protestors and posing for photo-ops, it would be great if Trujillo and Ortiz and the rest of the Council would work on fixing our roads, filling empty store fronts, removing homeless people and vagrants from our streets and parks, and doing the overall job that the voters of Downey elected them to do.
Ron Boren
Downey
Dear Editor:
Let’s start with the obvious. I am an immigrant.
Let’s continue with some facts:
I am 88 years old, 5 ft. 2 inches tall and weigh 140 lbs. I became a U.S. citizen in 1965. I am an Army veteran with a service-connected disability. I am a registered professional engineer and received commendations from the Department of Defense for my classified work on the guidance and control of the Minuteman missile.
I also received the E Award for Excellence in Exporting for developing foreign markets for American made products from the Department of Commerce. The Small Business Administration also gave me the Exporter of the Year award. I represented the U.S. at international trade conferences in Mexico and Colombia sent by the US Information Office.
As a member of the Rotary Club, I contribute to improve society ills. I have never had any troubles with the law. I have not even had a parking ticket in my life.
But in the eyes of President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, I am guilty of a very serious crime. And to make it worse, and paraphrasing Mayor Tom Bradley, I cannot keep it secret. My crime is that I am “piel canela”, cinnamon-colored skin, and because of it I can be stopped at any time by ICE gorillas and be manhandled, handcuffed and thrown in jail and possibly deported.
I left Ecuador 70 years ago to escape authoritarian politicians so common in third world countries. So now I have a dilemma. Where do I go now that the US has become a third world country?
Jorge Montero
Downey
Dear Editor:
On the face of it, it is a difficult argument to make to condemn ICE for doing the job they are mandated to do. Every country has borders and has the right to control who enters it.
ICE agents are federal officers that have taken an oath to defend this country and the constitution. It is very difficult for me to condemn the agents that have been ordered to do these immigration sweeps; my own brother started in Border Patrol and is in Homeland Security. But what is happening now is way different from what the intent of border security is supposed to mean.
This current administration has weaponized this issue as a means to their vicious ends. It uses scare tactics and fearmongering to gain support from the people. It targets your neighbors, your friends, your relatives – people whose services you rely on.
Unfortunately, the people that support this administration and these tactics don’t want to understand what the consequences are going to be. They have been convinced that these extreme actions are necessary to keep us safe, to protect our economy, to make sure we get the entitlements we are owed. Who cares if someone else’s civil liberties are trampled a little bit, it’s for the greater good, right? Especially if it’s the “bad hombres” that are being detained and deported, right?
Except that’s not the truth. The majority of the people being detained and deported are not criminals. “But they became criminals when they entered illegally!” is the most common justification. “They shouldn’t be allowed to jump ahead of the line! We did it the right way!” is another line I hear from those that believe undocumented workers have taken something from them.
Do you want to work the fields to pick our food? Do you want to wash dishes at 2 am? How many of you are displaced slaughterhouse workers displaced by an undocumented worker? This is a country of immigrants, so unless you are a native American, you do not have a moral right to be here. You are here because someone else invaded the Americas. We thrive because of the immigrants that are willing to start at the bottom and work their way up.
Here is the section you might actually care about, because this will actually affect you. American citizens are getting detained and deported by masked “agents.” Are you good with a masked individual approaching you with handcuffs, no identification, telling you that you are under arrest? Do you feel confident that your complexion is light enough that someone won’t question your citizenship status? Are you okay with someone picking and choosing which parts of the constitution apply to you? I was born and raised in the U.S. and am as American as anyone else that claims to be, do I have the right to ask you for your papers? Do you have documentation? Maybe I should put on a mask and a tactical vest and ask for your papers, or would that be a violation of your rights?
This administration is waging war on your rights and some of you are perfectly content to let them be taken away. Exit your echo chamber, do a simple Google search and start reading about what has already historically happened, and realize that we are in real danger of history repeating itself.
Do I go now that the US has become a third world country?
Julian Carrillo
Downey
Dear Editor:
It’s unsettling to see federal immigration agents making arrests while wearing masks.
If they’re acting lawfully and representing our government, they should show their faces.
We expect transparency from law enforcement—not secrecy. Masks send the wrong message and make it harder for communities to trust the process. No one should be arrested by someone hiding their identity.
If you’re doing your job the right way, there’s no reason to cover up.
Louis Gallegos
Downey